Sales are made emotionally and justified logically.

Some people are heartstrong. Some people are headstrong. And most people, especially salespeople, don’t understand that the heart is a filter to a decision. They think most sales are price-driven. Wrong.

For 25 years I have said: “The head is attached to the price; the heart is attached to the wallet. If you jerk on the heartstrings, the wallet comes popping out of the back pocket.”

That’s why beggars – er, charitable donation seekers – appear at Christmas. Christmas is the most emotional and heartfelt time of the year. You will never see a Salvation Army bell ringer looking for a donation on the Fourth of July or Labor Day or George Washington’s birthday. There’s a lot less emotion attached to those holidays.

The head is attached to the price. The heart is attached to the wallet.

Think about how you make decisions. The first part of the decision is emotional: I love the car, I love the house, I love the dress. The second part of the decision is logical: When you love something, you have to decide if you can afford it. If you can afford it, and you want it, the heart takes you right back to the wallet. “Gotta have it, gotta own it, gotta wear it to the dance.”

Heart filtering is a very unknown, very unspoken, very untaught, very unwritten-about aspect of making and completing the sale. And, because of the Internet, emotional decisions are slowly falling by the wayside for MINOR purchases.

Amazon.com is taking the place of a bookstore. Not completely, but only because my generation is more used to holding a book than holding an e-reader, or holding the book, becoming emotionally attached to it and then buying it.

Luckily there will always be some form of an emotional purchase, and those who understand it will always be able to win over lowest price and the “price-only” logical decider.

Here’s what to ask yourself as you’re going for the heart:

• Is this a long-term thought?

• Is this an honorable, ethical statement or action?

• Is this the BEST I can do?

• Is this in favor of the customer?

• Will I be proud to tell my mom what I did or said?

Here’s how to create emotion in the mind AND heart of the customer:

• Your attitude. It had better be set on positive.

• Your friendliness. Your likability is the gateway to your believability and their trust.

• Offer a real value proposition. What are you saying to prospective customers that proves value in their favor?

• Compelling presentation skills. You must relate to the prospects and convince them with your passion.

• Obvious belief. Your internal belief in your company, your product and yourself are transferable. But your deep belief that the customer is better off purchasing from you is the heart of the sales process.

• Self-confidence. Your confidence breeds their confidence.

• Sincerity of expression. Sincerity comes from the heart.

• Believability. This is a perception of the prospective customers, and one they gain from the way you express yourself.

• Ability to gain trust. Trust is the ultimate sales tool. It’s free, but you have to earn it. And in the absence of it, you will lose to the person who has earned it.

MAJOR CLUE: If you’re a salesperson thinking “commission,” that’s a head thought. If you’re a salesperson thinking, “do what’s best for the customer,” that’s not just a heart thought; it’s also a relationship thought. Think about that.

Ever had a situation that ended with you saying to yourself, “What was I thinking?” Answer: You were thinking without a filter. A heart filter. If you use your heart as a filter, your thinking and your expressions will be more genuine.

Jeffrey Gitomer can be reached by phone at (704) 333-1112 or by e-mail at salesman@gitomer.com. © 2010 Jeffrey H. Gitomer